This invention relates to a rack which is mounted typically from a rafter, which may also hold a solid ceiling, or may be open. The rack is made of a mesh of stiff wires, and may comprise a group of modular units which may be secured together to provide a rack or racks of varying size. The entire rack system may be pre-assembled and lifted for easy installation into pre-installed attachment members. The system is very flexible and forgiving as to the spacing of the pre-installed attachment members. Also, the system will tend to move rather than break if it is bumped, since it is held from vertically mounted hanger wires which may rotate to a certain extent with respect to the rack, permitting the rack to swing rather than break. The rack system is inexpensive, and capable of holding large loads.
This invention relates to a rack which comprises at least one wire mesh panel which, in turn, comprises a first array of parallel wires and a second array of parallel wires, both of the wire arrays being relatively stiff. The wires of the first and second arrays are in transverse, angular relation, being bonded to each other at at least a substantial number of wire crossing points, by welding or the like.
The wire mesh panel defines opposed, parallel side edges which are substantially defined by first individual wires of the first array. Third wires are respectively bonded to the panel, being positioned parallel to and adjacent to the first individual wires of the first array, i.e., those individual wires that define the opposed, parallel side edges. The third wires are spaced from the first individual wires by crossing wires of the second array.
Thus, the opposed, parallel side edges of the wire mesh panel which comprises the rack are generally defined by a pair of parallel wires comprising a first individual wire and a third wire, separated by the second array of wires, typically the ends of the wires of the second array.
Often, a plurality of the wire mesh panels described above may be connected together along their opposed parallel side edges by a plurality of clamp members. These clamp members respectively enclose the first individual wires of the first array and the adjacent third wires, to provide extra strength to the connection. The clamp members may retain a hanger wire, which hanger wire is positioned below the wires of the second array, parallel to the wires of the first array. The hanger wire extends substantially the length of the wire mesh panel, parallel to the opposed, parallel side edges. Each end of the hanger wire preferably defines a transversely extending wire portion terminating in a hanger hook, to permit hanging from a ceiling, typically a rafter which defines the ceiling and may also support a solid, horizontal ceiling if desired. Preferably, several such hanger wires are present, one on each side of the wire mesh panel or preferably an array of connected wire mesh panels.
It is also preferable for the clamp members to each comprise a first member which is substantially U-shaped in cross section, and a separate, second member which is substantially S-shaped in cross section. The first and second members are bolted together. Each of the S-shaped members defines a trough which receives a hanger wire, described above, in a position below the wires of the second array and parallel to the wires of the first array. Thus, each of the hanger wires may support the wires of the second array from the bottom if desired. Alternatively, heads of the bolts which hold the first and second members of the clamp member together may engage and prevent the hanger wire members from rising out of the trough when the wire mesh rack is supported by the hanger members. Also, the clamp members may surround and secure a pair of the opposed, parallel side edges of adjacent wire mesh panels, thus enclosing a first individual wire and a third wire of each of the panels for strong securence together of the respective wire mesh panels, to form a modular rack comprising two or more of such wire mesh panels connected together.
Thus the vertically mounted rack of this invention can be hung from brackets on rafters, or other elevated sites, being quite forgiving relative as to precise spacing of the brackets, and being capable of a measure of movement if bumped so that the rack swings rather than breaking in such a circumstance. This provides a new and useful rack for garages, workshops, and other indoor areas for added storage space, while the rack is relatively light and of simple, inexpensive construction, as well as being of variable size.